Projects supported by the Great Aycliffe and Middridge Area Action Partnership

Details of the projects funded through our Area Budget last year are shown below.

Cooking Up a Future (Five Acres Community Garden CIC) - funding to purchase portable kitchen workstations for use at the Five Acres respite day centre for adults with learning difficulties, helping users to learn new skills and gain independence.

Newton News Community Advert (Aycliffe Radio) - funding for a dedicated full page every week in the Newton News, available to community groups, charities, clubs and services that benefit Newton Aycliffe and the surrounding area.

Junction 7 On Tour (Junction 7) - funding to increase storage facilities, thus enabling receipt of more donations, as well as support with minibus running costs.  The project will also support the development of "Junction 7 On Tour" community lounges, operating a weekly foodbank and food rescue service.

Upskill & Duke of Edinburgh (Acle Scout Group) - funding to support Bronze, Silver and Gold Duke of Edinburgh activities, e.g. expedition costs, water-based skills, and climbing wall award qualifications. 

Making a Difference to Mental Health and Wellbeing (MAD Choir) - this project will work on the ethos of building awareness and support of mental health and wellbeing through singing.  Funding will be used to support weekly mental health & wellbeing sessions, and the project will culminate with 4 public performances in the community.

Community Poverty, Health and Wellbeing Support (Lifeline Community Action) - funding for provision of household and baby care packages for households in need.  The project will also include community-based interactive and group activities such as knit & natter, craft sessions, painting and drawing, exercise and social dance.

Covid-19 Recovery Food Provision and Support (Rotary Newton Aycliffe) - funding to support individuals, couples and families who are experiencing material difficulties due to Covid-19, which may be impacting mental and physical health and relationships, with provision of food and other necessities. 

Floating Support (The Cornforth Partnership) - funding for a 'floating support service' in the GAMP area to support residents to rebuild and refocus following on from the pandemic, offering a holistic package of support: building financial resilience, registering for affordable housing, low level mental health support and mentoring, and a program of social activity and support including the creation of support groups and peer mentoring in the local community.

Crime and Safety Awareness Days (Prison Me No Way) - delivery of Crime & Safety Awareness Days at Greenfield Community College and Woodham Academy, with the core aim of raising awareness among young people about the causes, consequences and penalties of crime.  High impact multi-agency workshops are provided, e.g. choices & consequences, county lines, drug & alcohol awareness, knife crime, etc.

Upskilling, Employability and Discretionary Fund (Bishop Auckland College) - providing opportunities for unemployed GAMP clients to access one-off support grants.  There are 3 funding strands: Employability (responding to specific training needs for unemployed clients), Discretionary (removing barriers preventing clients from accessing training), and Upskilling (supporting clients in lower skilled occupations to progress or change direction in line with labour market demands).

Social Inclusion Project (School Aycliffe Community Centre) - funding will be split over four new start-up projects: a monthly 'pop up café', badminton equipment, IT classes, and a portable PA system and a projector with screen.  The overall aim is to encourage more users to the community centre.

Office Development (Veterans Woodcraft CIC) - funding to support the furnishment of the Veterans Hub offices and consultation spaces.  The Veterans Woodcraft hub is supporting other organisations as well as the development of several other new Social Enterprises, bringing greater opportunity for employment and business development to Newton Aycliffe, and this project will see the Hub in a much stronger position to help the local communities fight the battle against the increasing mental health issues and worsening social isolation people face today.

A Hub at the Heart of the Community (Livin Housing) - funding to improve the community lounges at Simpasture Court and Gilpin Court in Newton Aycliffe, helping to break the barriers of social isolation that Covid has brought to these communities. The lounges will be improved from an accessible perspective to make them dementia-friendly, and both lounges will be improved digitally ensuring they are Wi-Fi enabled. 

Winter Training and Pitch Hire Costs 2022 (Newton Aycliffe Youth Football Club) - funding to support pitch hire & winter training costs, ensuring that children who have had many months of isolation from their friends and family can re-join their football family and get back to playing the sport they love, football. Funding will allow the club to keep subscriptions low and affordable for low-income families across Newton Aycliffe and the surrounding area. 

Connecting People (North East Dance CIC) - funding will support a free dance fitness programme in the GAMP area for people aged 50+, helping to increase socialisation and connection, reducing loneliness and social isolation. 

Reunite and Reconnect (Groundwork North East) - this project aims to address social isolation and low activity in older people in Newton Aycliffe by providing a range of social activities, both outdoor and indoor.  Support will also be provided through welfare checks, telephone calls and activity parcels/food hampers. 

Social Activities for Wellbeing (ROC Solid) - ROC Solid provide accommodation and support to disadvantaged young people aged 16-25, and also vulnerable women who are at risk of sexual exploitation, domestic violence victims, and mums and babies. This project aims to increase social interaction through provision of fun activities, day trips out and time for support staff to engage with residents in a way that will boost their wellbeing and help prevent isolation.

Getting Outside (Acle Scout Group) - funding to help the scout group get back to taking all sections out on trips where they will learn, have fun and learn lifelong skills to help them become good citizens. Funding will support a whole-group trip to an outward-bound centre to take part in outdoor activities and team building. Younger sections will also visit Beamish open-air museum. 

The Art of Wellbeing (Veterans Woodcraft CIC) - funding will be used to develop "Art of Wellbeing" therapeutic workshops, which will include: painting, drawing, creative writing, performing arts, puppetry (making & performing), glass art, pottery, wood turning, scroll saw work, casting ancient artefacts (Viking bling) and metal work.  The workshops will support improved mental health and wellbeing alongside reduced social isolation with improved social networks.

Return to Scouting (1st Newton Aycliffe Scout Group) - funding to support a range of running costs for this voluntary Newton Aycliffe scout group, for example administration systems, capitation fees, Insurance, Storage costs, first aid training, website fees, rent costs and equipment/materials.